Yogyakarta, April 29, 2025 — Universitas PGRI Yogyakarta (UPY) has taken another significant step in strengthening its international academic network by establishing a strategic partnership with two prominent universities from the Philippines: the University of San Jose – Recoletos (USJR) and Northern Iloilo State University (NISU). The collaboration ceremony took place on Tuesday, April 29, 2025, at the Rectorate Meeting Room of UPY and was also streamed live via Zoom Meeting.
The event marked the official signing of several key cooperation documents between the institutions. These included a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between UPY and USJR, a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) between the Faculty of Teacher Training and Education (FKIP) at UPY and USJR, and two Implementation Arrangements (IA), one between FKIP UPY and USJR, and the other between FKIP UPY and NISU. The signing was carried out by the Rector of UPY, Prof. Dr. Ir. Paiman, M.P., accompanied by the Dean of FKIP, Dr. Esti Setiawati, M.Pd., and the Head of the Office of International Affairs (KUI) at UPY, Dr. Taufik Muhtarom. Representing the partner universities from the Philippines were Prof. Kylle T. Pulmones from USJR and Dr. Ave Marie P. Genodia from NISU.
The ceremony was further enriched by a Visiting Lecturer Program, where both Philippine representatives shared their expertise with UPY students. Prof. Pulmones, from the School of Education at USJR, presented a session titled “Optimizing Teaching with Artificial Intelligence vis-a-vis Ethics,” while Dr. Genodia, Chairperson of the Bachelor of Elementary Education Department at NISU, delivered a lecture on “Contextualized Learning in Science: Bridging Concepts with Real-World Applications.” The event was met with enthusiasm from students of the English Language Education and Primary School Teacher Education study programs, as well as online participants from various faculties at UPY.
In his remarks, Rector Prof. Paiman emphasized that this international partnership aligns with UPY’s broader mission of campus internationalization. He highlighted the importance of expanding academic collaboration across borders to provide students with global perspectives and to strengthen relationships with credible educational institutions abroad. He expressed hope that this collaboration would not only enrich academic experiences but also serve as a foundation for further joint activities, including research and cultural exchange.
The event proceeded smoothly and concluded with great enthusiasm, marked by the successful signing of all cooperation documents and engaging discussions between students and the guest lecturers. Through this initiative, UPY reaffirms its commitment to being a globally connected, forward-thinking institution that embraces collaboration, innovation, and academic excellence.
